JUST IN: Chinese club’s stadium goes up in flames

Shanghai Shenhua’s stadium went up in flames, but the fire was quickly extinguished

The Hongkou Football Stadium is home to the likes of Obafemi Martins, Carlos Tevez

The team, managed by former Sunderland boss Gus Poyet, finished last season in fourth place

The Hongkou football club stadium, home of Shanghai Shenhua FC, where the likes of Nigerian striker Obafemi Martins play went up in flames early Tuesday morning, March 28.

Government officials have however said there were no casualties and the blaze was extinguished by mid-morning.

The cause of the fire at the Hongkou football club stadium is still under investigation the Shanghai government confirmed on their official microblog.

Reuters reports that neither the stand or the pitch was effected despite the huge damage it did outside.

We recall Shanghai Shenhua is the home stadium of Nigerian striker Obafemi Martins, former Juventus and Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez, former Chelsea striker Demba Ba and former Inter Milan midfielder Freddy Guarin. “Grateful there were no civilian casualties.

As for the Shenhua emblem, it’s best to burn it into ashes,” one person said on China’s popular Sina Weibo microblog.

“The fire is extinguished, the emblem is intact, this must mean the Chinese national team will rise from the ashes,” said another.